Psalm 109 6

Psalm 109:6 kjv

Set thou a wicked man over him: and let Satan stand at his right hand.

Psalm 109:6 nkjv

Set a wicked man over him, And let an accuser stand at his right hand.

Psalm 109:6 niv

Appoint someone evil to oppose my enemy; let an accuser stand at his right hand.

Psalm 109:6 esv

Appoint a wicked man against him; let an accuser stand at his right hand.

Psalm 109:6 nlt

They say, "Get an evil person to turn against him.
Send an accuser to bring him to trial.

Psalm 109 verses

Psalm 109 6 Meaning

Psalm 109:6 is an intense prayer for divine judgment upon a specific adversary of the psalmist. It asks God to subject the wicked opponent to a situation where they are overcome by a corrupt authority and subsequently accused and condemned in a judicial setting by an adversarial figure. This verse paints a vivid scene of retribution, where the accuser becomes the accused, facing both a human instrument of injustice and a supernaturally designated accuser.

Psalm 109 6 Context

Psalm 109 is a profound and poignant lament, saturated with strong imprecations against the psalmist's enemies. The central figure of this psalm is a man of God, traditionally believed to be David, who is suffering severe affliction, particularly from false accusations and betrayals by those he once trusted and showed kindness towards (Ps 109:1-5). He feels powerless and forsaken, hence his fervent prayer to God for justice. Verse 6, along with subsequent verses, details specific punishments the psalmist wishes upon his primary adversary, transforming a plea for personal relief into a cosmic demand for righteous divine retribution. The language is steeped in judicial and legal imagery, portraying God as the ultimate Judge and the enemy's demise as a divine courtroom proceeding where justice is meted out. This particular verse invokes a dual curse: subjugation to corrupt human authority and confrontation by a relentless accuser in a celestial or spiritual court.

Psalm 109 6 Word analysis

• Appoint (פָּקַד - paqad): This Hebrew verb has a wide range of meanings including "to visit," "to number," "to muster," "to inspect," "to command," "to entrust," and "to attend to." In this context, it carries the strong sense of divine authority and purposeful designation. It implies God’s active intervention to set or station someone over another, typically with a punitive or investigative aim, leading to a determined outcome, often one of judgment or reckoning. It’s not a mere suggestion but a forceful, decisive divine action.
• thou: Refers to God, highlighting that this is a direct petition for divine intervention and action. The psalmist is calling on God Himself to bring about this state of affairs.
• a wicked man (רָשָׁע - rasha'): Denotes someone who is ethically and morally corrupt, guilty, lawless, and generally evil. The desire here is that God would allow or actively cause such an unrighteous person to gain authority over the psalmist’s enemy. This implies the enemy will be subject to an unjust, biased, or malicious human authority figure who will oppress or condemn him, ironically mirroring the injustice the enemy inflicted on the psalmist.
• over him: The direct object of the divine appointment, indicating the intended victim of this specific curse. This is the main adversary, the false accuser, mentioned throughout the psalm.
• and let Satan (שָׂטָן - satan): The Hebrew word satan fundamentally means "adversary," "opponent," or "accuser." In the Old Testament, it can refer to a human opponent (e.g., 1 Sam 29:4; 2 Sam 19:22), or, as a definite article 'the Satan,' a divine prosecutor or heavenly accuser in the divine council (e.g., Job 1-2; Zech 3). In Psalm 109:6, the use is debated, but given the judicial context of "right hand," it strongly points to the prosecuting figure in a divine court of law, acting as a direct legal opponent. While it has implications of a demonic adversary for a later theological development, its primary Old Testament meaning here is the judicial "accuser."
• stand at his right hand: This is a crucial judicial phrase. In ancient Near Eastern court settings, the position at the right hand often indicated prominence or support. However, in legal contexts, it was also the position from which an accuser would stand to confront or charge the defendant. Zechariah 3:1 directly parallels this imagery, depicting "Satan standing at [Joshua the High Priest's] right hand to accuse him." Thus, it means the adversary's ultimate enemy (whether human or spiritual) will take up the legally damning position to condemn him.

• Appoint thou a wicked man over him: This phrase expresses a plea for divine judgment where the enemy will suffer a taste of his own medicine. Having unjustly oppressed the psalmist, the enemy is prayed to be delivered into the hands of an equally unjust or corrupt human authority. It’s a reciprocal form of justice—evil to him who works evil, as per the lex talionis. This implies a punitive subjugation.
• and let Satan stand at his right hand: This extends the judicial judgment. It signifies that the adversary will be brought before a higher court, possibly divine, where an accuser (Satan as a prosecutor) will present charges against him, leading to condemnation. This suggests that his unrighteous deeds will be formally cataloged and prosecuted, ensuring that justice is fully served not only on an earthly level (the "wicked man") but also on a spiritual or divine plane ("Satan").

Psalm 109 6 Bonus section

The interpretation of satan in Psalm 109:6 is a key point for understanding the development of the concept of the Adversary throughout the biblical narrative. In the Old Testament, satan frequently refers to a generic "adversary" or "opponent," sometimes a human foe, other times a divine agent serving as a prosecutor in God's court. This Psalm's use, particularly with "right hand," strongly leans towards the role of a judicial accuser, akin to the figure in Zechariah 3. It's a stepping stone towards the later New Testament understanding of Satan as a specific, personified cosmic evil being (the Devil).

The fulfillment or application of elements of Psalm 109, particularly verses 8 and 18, to Judas Iscariot in Acts 1:16-20 by Peter, provides a significant New Testament interpretation of this psalm. While Acts 1:20 quotes Psalm 109:8 ("Let his days be few, and let another take his office") and also Psalm 69:25 ("Let their dwelling place be desolate, and let there be no one to live in it"), the inclusion of Psalm 109 by the apostles suggests a divinely intended prophetic resonance concerning betrayal and judgment that extends to figures like Judas. This implies that such psalms, though arising from personal anguish, also carry a broader spiritual and prophetic weight, foretelling the divine judgment upon those who oppose God's chosen ones and His plan. Thus, Psalm 109:6 can be understood as an ancient prayer expressing divine judgment that resonates through history, culminating in the ultimate judgment of betrayal and sin.

Psalm 109 6 Commentary

Psalm 109:6 encapsulates the deep anguish and fervent desire for divine justice against betrayal and slander. It is a powerful example of an imprecatory prayer, which are not calls for personal vengeance but rather petitions for God to execute righteous judgment and maintain the moral order of His creation. The psalmist appeals to God’s nature as the righteous Judge. The dual request to "appoint a wicked man over him" and "let Satan stand at his right hand" depicts a comprehensive and overwhelming divine judgment. The "wicked man" symbolizes a corrupt earthly authority, suggesting the enemy's fall under oppressive, unjust rule, mirroring the injustice they inflicted. The phrase "Satan stand at his right hand" is profound, referencing a legal accuser in a divine courtroom (cf. Zech 3:1). It highlights that not only will the enemy suffer under human tyranny, but he will also face an inescapable spiritual indictment. The adversary will be without advocate or defense, utterly exposed to his deeds. This is a prayer for complete moral and legal undoing of the wicked, a testimony to the belief that God will not leave the righteous without vindication nor the wicked unpunished.